By Theresa Gibilisco, owner, The Hungry Puppy
First time dairy goat owners almost always ask us the same thing: "How much grain do I give her on the milk stand?" They've usually been told everything from "a handful" to "as much as she wants." Neither is right, and the answer is actually printed on the bag.
Here's how I walk people through feeding a milking doe on Nutrena Country Feeds 17% Textured Goat Feed, the sweet feed most of our dairy goat families use.
Start with the rule on the tag
Nutrena's feeding directions for breeding and lactating goats say to feed to maintain body condition and to offer 1 lb of feed for every 3 to 4 lb of milk she produces.
That lines up with Purdue University's dairy goat guidance, which suggests about 1 lb of grain for every 3 lb of milk in mid lactation for does in good flesh, and as little as 1 lb per 5 lb of milk in late lactation.
Most of us measure milk in quarts, not pounds. A quart of milk weighs a little over 2 lb, so:
| Milk per day | About this many lb of milk | 17% Textured per day (1 lb per 3 to 4 lb milk) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 quart | 2 lb | about 1/2 to 3/4 lb |
| 2 quarts | 4 to 4.5 lb | about 1 to 1.5 lb |
| 3 quarts | 6.5 lb | about 1.5 to 2 lb |
| 1 gallon | 8.5 lb | about 2 to 3 lb |
Treat that as a starting point, not a prescription. Weigh the scoop you actually use, full, once. Then you'll know what "a scoop" really means. Most people are surprised.
The cap that keeps her rumen happy
Here's the part people skip. The tag says, in capital letters, do not let this feed go over 50% of her total dry matter intake. In plain English, at least half of what she eats should be hay, pasture or browse.
A high producer will happily eat more grain than is good for her. If the math above has you at a big number for a heavy milker, give her all the good hay she'll eat, split the grain between morning and evening milking, and talk to your vet about her ration rather than just adding scoops. Purdue's advice for thin, high producing does is the same idea: all the hay they can eat, with grain fed up to appetite.
Through her year: before kidding, peak, and drying off
The last few weeks before kidding
Purdue notes that nutrition matters more in the last 3 to 4 weeks of pregnancy, and suggests better quality hay and about the same kind of ration she'll get after kidding. That way her rumen isn't meeting a new feed on the same day she's making milk. The 17% Textured is labeled for breeding goats, so it works for this stretch. Bring her up slowly. Our goat breeding and kidding basics post covers getting ready for the big day.
Peak milk
This is when the 1 lb per 3 to 4 lb rule matters most. Check her body condition every week or two by feeling her ribs and spine, not by looking. A doe giving a lot of milk can lose condition under her coat before you see it.
Late lactation and dry off
As her milk drops, so does her grain. Purdue's late lactation number, about 1 lb per 5 lb of milk, is a good reminder to taper. A dry doe who keeps getting her peak ration gets fat, and that's not doing her next kidding any favors.
Why this bag for milkers (and not the medicated one)
The 17% Textured is non-medicated, and it's labeled for lactating goats. That matters because our other goat feed, the 16% Pelleted Goat Feed Medicated, contains Deccox, and its label says not to feed it to goats producing milk for food. If you drink the milk, make cheese, or share milk with anyone, keep your milkers on the 17%.
A few other label points worth knowing:
- It carries copper at goat levels and says plainly not to feed it to sheep.
- It includes ammonium chloride for urinary tract health.
- Salt should be free choice, and Nutrena says an appropriate mineral may be offered to breeding and lactating goats.
- Fresh, clean water at all times. Purdue calls water the most important nutrient for any animal, and a milking doe drinks a lot of it.
For a side by side of the 17% and the medicated pellet, and which goats get which, see Sweet Feed for Goats: Our 17% Textured vs. the 16% Medicated Pellet.
Milking doe questions
Should I feed her on the milk stand?
Most people do, and it keeps her busy while you milk. Just measure it. Two measured meals at milking time beat one big bucket.
Is there anything in the 17% I need to worry about in her milk?
It's a non-medicated feed, so there's no drug in it. The milk warning is on the medicated pellet, not this one.
She's getting thin even on the full ration. Now what?
Check hay quality and how much she's actually getting at the feeder, then call your vet. Parasites, teeth and other health problems can look like a feeding problem, and more grain won't fix those.
Can her kids eat it too?
Yes. The tag covers starting and growing kids, beginning around 1% of body weight a day and working up over 2 to 3 weeks.
Keeping the feed room stocked
A milking doe goes through more feed than you'd guess, and running out the morning of a snowstorm is no fun. We bring 50 lb bags right to your barn Tuesday through Friday on your town's route day, free with a $20 minimum. Find your day on our farm feed delivery page or call 732-938-4470.